Match-safe



(No Model) v E. P. GONNET & F. A. GREEN. MATCH SAFE.

Patented June 21, 1898.

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ERNESTP. CONNET AND FRANK A. GREEN, OF SEWARD, NEBRASKA.

MATCH-SAFE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 605,856, dated June 21, 1898. Application filed. m 15,1s97. Serial No. 636,648. on modeLl To all whmn it may concern: 3

Be it known that we, ERNEST P. CoNNET and FRANK A. GREEN, of Seward, Seward county,

Nebraska, have invented certain new and use f ul Improvements in Match-Safes,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

Our invention relates to that class of matchsafes which are adapted to discharge and ignite one match at a time into or upon a suitable stand arranged to receive it; and it consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described.

Our primary object is to produce a device of the character above outlined which is positive and reliable in removing from the match chamber or magazine a single match with each operation of the carrier.

A further object is to provide a dog for preventing the return of the match to said chamber or magazine after it has passed said (10g and has come into engagement with the lighting device, in order that there will be no possible chance of a lighted match being reconveyed into the match-chamber, and there-' by setting afire the matches contained therein.

A still further object of the invention is to produce a device of this character which is positive and reliable in operation and simple, strong, durable,-and cheap of manufacture.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, we will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings and v will enumerate the novel features inappended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 repre-' sents a perspective view of our improved match-safe. Fig. 2 represents a vertical central section of the same.

Similar reference-numerals refer to. corresponding parts. v

1 designates a base, preferably of cast metal and provided with parallel slots 2 and 3.

4 designates the sides of the match-safe; 5, the back plate, which preferably will be cast with one of said sides, and 6 designates the front wall, which also preferably will be cast with one of said sides.

In case this safe is made of cast metal, as

referred to, we prefer to provide the lower ends of the sides with hooks or curved lugs 7, which will extend down through the slots 2 and up into the slots 3, as shown in Fig. l, in order to prevent any movement of the side walls at their lower ends. This construction practically makes a hinge-joint between the side walls and the base and requires a pivotal manipulation of the side walls to place them in or remove them from position, as will be readily understood.

To clamp the side walls together-that is to say, to clamp one of'the side walls against the opposing edges of the back and front walls, carried, preferably, by the other side wall, as above explainedwe employ tie-bolts S and 9. The tie-bolt 8 connects the side walls at a point about half their height and near their front edges, while the tie-bolt9 connects them at their upper rear corners and forms a pivot or hinge, upon which the lid or cover 10 of the safe is mounted, which lid or cover is provided with a lock 11 of any suitable or preferred type. The front wall 6 extends vertically downward'from the upper end of the side walls only about one-third their length, and then slopes downwardly and inwardly, as shown at 12, to a point near the middle of the safe and rearward of the tie-bolt 8. It then bends forwardly again and curves downwardly, as shown at 13, and preferably also tapers, so as to form a tongue which projects beyond. the front edges of the side walls, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2, and consequently overhangs the rear edge of a concave matchplate 14:, which match-plate is provided with notches 15,whereby the progress of the lighted match, as hereinbefore explained, is arrested as it rolls forward. This plateis mounted upon a standard 16, cast with of secured to the base or otherwise suitably supported.

17 designates an inclined guide-plate. I Said and 21 designates an arm or handle forsaid shaft externally of the safe and adapted to be grasped and operated by a person when he wants a match.

22 designates a segment of a cylinder. is weighted at its lower end, as shown at and at its periphery is provided with a transverse groove 21-, which normally coincides or registers with the lower end of the inclined guide-plate 17 in order that a match may always be caused to properly enter said groove. The cylinder is held in this position by reason of the fact that the weighted end bears against a stop 25 of any suitable type, which is secured in one of the side walls by preference, and said stop also serves to limit the rotatable movement of the cylinder-that is to say, when the handle is grasped and thrown as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2 the cylinder turns until it strikes the stop 25, and at this instant the groove is opposite and in the proper position to deliver the match upon the matchplate 14:, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 2, the match while in transit being prevented from dropping out of said groove by the concentrically-arranged portion 13 of the front wall, as will be readily understood by reference to the drawings. In order to prevent the return of the match to the match-chamber after the cylinder has been rotated a predetern'iined distance, and thereby obviate all danger of setting the remaining matches on fire, weemploy the gravity-dog 26. Said dog hangs pivotally pendent from the staple 27 or its equivalent, secured, by preference, to the inclined portion 12 of the front wall and in the path of the head of the match in order that the lat ter may swing said dog, as indicated by its respective arrow, Fig. 2. Immediately the match-head and the dog become disengaged the latter by gravity swings back to its original position, but in rear of the match, which cannot be returned to the match chamber, owing to the fact that the dog is provided with a stop-arm 2S,which prevents it swinging back beyond a certain point, said stop-arm imping ing upon the front wall of the casing, as shown in Fig. 2. Immediately after the disengagement between the dog and the match the latter engages the igniter 29, which is preferably in the form of a spring-plate with its inner face roughened,as shown. The friction upon said surface of course ignites the match, as it cannot move longitudinally in the groove because the safe is just wide enough to accommodate the length of the match. Immediately after the ignition the match is delivered upon the plate ll and rolls forward until it is arrested by one or another of the recesses 15, from which it may be easily removed. Immediately the handle is released the weight 23, which has been raised almost vertically above the center of the shaft, swings the cylinder back to its original position, and another match gravitates or is forced by the weight of those above it down into the groove 2i.

The first few matches placed in the magazine should be arranged parallel with each other and with theirheads all disposed toward the side of the safe occupied by the igniter. The remainder of the matches, with their heads all disposed in the corresponding direction, may be dropped with a little care into the magazine and will arrange themselves in the proper position by the agitation they receive each time a match is removed.

By the use of a locked cover it is obvious that a person cannot carry off a pocketful of matches, nor can a child abstract a match without lighting it and thereby probably at tracting the attention of some one in the house. This of course removes an element of danger which always exists, and it furthermore prevents children from carrying matches around a barn, for instance, while playing,which causes many fires to take place. \Vhen so secured, too, mice and rats cannot get at the matches, nor can they be scattered on the iloor to be trampled upon.

The device of course is designed for use in any and all connections where serviceable, in public and private places.

From the above description it will be apparent that we have produced a match-safe which combines the advantageous features enumerated in the statement of invention, and it is to be understood that changes such as come within the scope of our invent-ion may be made.

Having thus described the invention, what We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A match-safe, provided with a matchmagazine, having a converging bottom, a retary cylinder therein, provided with a peripheral groove to receive one match at a time, an igniting-surface arranged to oppose the head ed en d of the match and in its path as it is conveyed by the rotatable movement of the cylinder, and a gravity-dog interposed between the match-chamber and said igniting-surface, and pivoted at its upper end to the front wall of the safe, and provided with a rearwardlyprojecting arm to engage the front wall and limit the back swing of the dog, substantially as described.

2. Amatch-safe,consistingofa slottedbase, side walls provided with hinge-lugs which ongage said base, a back wall and a front wall connecting said side walls, tie-bolts clamping said side walls in place, and a cover pivotally mounted upon one of said bolts and provided with a lock, wherebyit may be secured in its closed position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we ailix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST l. (JONNE' FRANK A. GREEN. Witnesses:

WM. WoR'rnnAN, J12, F. R. MANDEVILLE. 

